Talking Points

A-F Letter Grades: More Questions than Answers

by Moak, Casey and AssociatesYear Published: January 2017

"Accountability systems are only useful if their measures are accurate, credible, clear, and useful. Despite good intentions, and a fundamental structure in HB 2804 that is capable of generating a more nuanced understanding of public school performance, the features of TEA's provisional A-F grading system produced ratings that are neither clear nor comparable. The letter grades’ lack of clarity and meaning risks leading the public to make unjustified and, in some cases, harmful inferences about differences in the quality of public schools. The 85th legislative session provides Texans with one last opportunity to try and answer the many questions about using A-F letter grades in the accountability system before they become permanent in spring 2018." Read the full article.